(Santa Fe, NM) – Today, Conservation Voters New Mexico (CVNM) unveiled the statewide 2013-2014 Conservation Scorecard. In the Scorecard, CVNM reports the votes cast on the most critical issues affecting our air, land, and water during the 2013 and 2014 legislative sessions, as well as an evaluation of Gov. Susana Martinez’s environmental record.
Seventeen of the 112 legislators earned a score above 90%. The average New Mexico legislator scored just 48% in the 51st Legislature. For championing the wishes of polluting industries at the expense of public health and safety, Gov. Susana Martinez scored an “F.”
“Our families and communities deserve better from our elected officials,” says Demis Foster, CVNM Executive Director. “New Mexicans need more leaders who want to protect our air, land and water for future generations. We applaud the legislators who chose to put our families and communities over profits.”
The 2013-2014 Scorecard includes 14 Senate and 15 House votes on critical issues that New Mexico’s decision-makers faced in the past two years. Here are just a few examples of harmful measures CVNM worked to successfully defeat:
Seventeen of the 112 legislators earned a score above 90%. The average New Mexico legislator scored just 48% in the 51st Legislature. For championing the wishes of polluting industries at the expense of public health and safety, Gov. Susana Martinez scored an “F.”
“Our families and communities deserve better from our elected officials,” says Demis Foster, CVNM Executive Director. “New Mexicans need more leaders who want to protect our air, land and water for future generations. We applaud the legislators who chose to put our families and communities over profits.”
The 2013-2014 Scorecard includes 14 Senate and 15 House votes on critical issues that New Mexico’s decision-makers faced in the past two years. Here are just a few examples of harmful measures CVNM worked to successfully defeat:
- In 2013, CVNM worked with allies to help defeat measures that would have gutted our renewable energy and efficiency standards, immunized illegal or negligent factory farms from legal action, weakened our water quality protections, and enabled the privatization of critical public services (e.g. water systems) without adequate safeguards, oversight or taxpayer protections.
- In 2014, CVNM spearheaded opposition to a bill that would have allowed polluting companies and sprawl developments to negotiate subsidized utility rates — subsidies paid for by working families, schools, and smaller businesses.
CVNM has also advocated for pro-active legislation. Here are a few examples:
- In 2013, CVNM advocated for a desperately needed update of the 1935 New Mexico Oil and Gas Act. The Act is desperately in need of modernization to reflect current realities — particularly the need to adequately enforce the oil and gas industry’s responsibility to protect crucial and declining water supplies.
- In 2014, CVNM brought forward a bill that would have established a fund to conduct a baseline community health study of the Grants Mineral Belt, and make recommendations for ways to mitigate the public health impacts of uranium mining.
CVNM’s 2013-2014 Conservation Scorecard is available online via a fully interactive website at CVNM.org/Scorecard.
CVNM is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization connecting the people of New Mexico to their political power to protect our air, land, and water for a healthy Land of Enchantment. CVNM does this by mobilizing voters, winning elections, holding elected officials accountable, and advancing responsible public policies.
Contact: Liliana Castillo at 505-992-8683 or Liliana@CVNM.org
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